The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act has caused a lot of damage in the world of poker since it was implemented by the United States government back in 2006. The ban has created a black cloud that now surrounds the U.S poker players as it has the entire poker community concerned. In a recent Fox News editorial the American poker players’ opinion was expressed, and according to them, not only the casual online poker players and the professionals have to be worried about this matter, the general population should be worried too since this is a repressive way to tell you what to do with your time and money. What could happen next is still uncertain, but what everybody fears is that this may be the first step in a long list if regulations that the U.S government would start applying soon. Even when sites such as BodogLife poker or Full Tilt Poker still accepting American players, the regulations have made very difficult to transfer or receive founds related to poker or online gaming activities.

Last year an independent survey was taken polling how Americans felt with the direction their government was taking with online poker, and the results of the poll suggest they are not very happy with it. The results, published by RT Strategies National Omnibus Poll and pointed to by the Poker Players Alliance, reveal that 51% oppose the government’s attempts over the last two years to ban online poker.

When the situation regarding online poker in the United States came to a head and the UIGEA was passed, some lawmakers felt pleased. Others felt like an injustice had been done, and set out to legalize online poker. One such lawmaker, Congressman Robert Wexler put out proposed legislation to make skill based games like poker and chess legal to play online when money is involved, and just recently picked up his 21st co-sponsor for the bill. Wexler’s HR 2610 bill, "The Skill Game Protection Act", got Representative Robert E. Andrews (D-NJ) as its latest sponsor; a move many think is a good sign for online poker in the U.S.